Ingredients

Sweet Potato-Bourbon Dressing:
1 large sweet potato, about 3/4 pound, rinsed and patted dry
1/2 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons cane syrup
1/4 to 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup Kentucky bourbon
1 tablespoons chopped shallots
1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup soybean oil

4 (6-ounce) catfish
1 cup rice flour
Essence, recipe follows
1 large Vidalia onion, sliced thinly into half moons
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced Smithfied ham, Sauteed
2 peaches, pitted and diced
6 cups mixed greens
Sugared Nuts, recipe follows

Directions

To make the dressing: Preheat
the oven to 400 degrees F.
Place the sweet potato on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes. Reduce the heat to 375
degrees F and bake until tender and the syrupy sugars start to break through the skin,
about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit until cool enough to handle. Cut a slit
down the potato and remove the peel.
In a blender, combine the sweet potato, orange juice, cane syrup, vinegar, bourbon,
shallots, pepper, allspice and salt. Puree for 30 seconds. Pulsing, gradually add the oil
through the feeder tube.

Preheat the fryer to 360 degrees F.
Season the catfish fillets with Essence. Dredge the catfish in rice flour, shaking off any
excess. Add to the oil and fry for about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Remove to paper towels.
In a large bowl combine, onions, ham, peaches, and mixed greens. Add some of the dressing
and toss well. Place a mound of the greens on a plate. Top with the catfish fillets and
sprinkle with sugared nuts.

Ingredients

Essence (Emeril's Creole
Seasoning):
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme

Directions

Combine all ingredients thoroughly
and store in an airtight jar or container.

Yield: about 2/3 cup
Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch. Published by
William and Morrow, 1993.

Ingredients

Sugared Nuts:
1/4 cup unsalted shelled peanuts
1/4 cup unsalted, shelled, chopped black walnuts
1/4 cup unsalted chopped pecans
5 tablespoons brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
Pinch cayenne
1 tablespoon chili oil

Directions

In a medium skillet, cook the nuts,
brown sugar, salt, cayenne and the oil over medium-high heat. Cook until the sugar
caramelizes and coats the nuts, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to separate the
nuts. Transfer to a baking sheet covered with waxed paper to cool. (Note: Caramelized nuts
will keep in a tightly sealed container at room temperature for several days.)
Yield: 3/4 cup